The San Francisco Chronicle offers an in-depth article on how video games have been drawn into the discussion on gun violence featuring quotes from California State Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) , IGDA Executive Director executive director, and Ian Bogost, professor of interactive computing at the Georgia Institute of Technology. The article also features comments from Gamasutra's Kris Graft, who called the industry's decision to meet with Vice-President Joe Biden's Gun Violence Commission earlier this month a mistake.

While the article is a fair assessment of the focus that has been put on video games since the Sandy Hook elementary School shootings that happened last month in Newtown, Connecticut, a particular quote from Senator Yee is sure to agitate the majority of gamers in America. Yee, who authored the failed 2005 California video game law that was struck down by the Supreme Court's decision in Brown v. EMA (it was ruled a violation of free speech rights under the First Amendment of the Constitution), said that it is time for gamers to be quiet and that he has some hope that the President's call for the CDC to study violent videogames will lead to some changes. First the galling comment about game players:

"Gamers have got to just quiet down," Yee, D-San Francisco, said in an interview Tuesday. "Gamers have no credibility in this argument. This is all about their lust for violence and the industry's lust for money. This is a billion-dollar industry. This is about their self-interest."

Later in the article Yee says that the Supreme Court set the standard too high in its ruling on Brown v. EMA and that he is pessimistic about the President's plan for CDC research:

"I'm hopeful that the president's intervention on this particular matter will make a difference, but I'm not that hopeful," Yee said.

Comments

The main premise of Leland Yee's argument here is supported by exceptionally poorly informed stereotypes and the fallacy of motivation. This along with his inability to understand or sheer unwillingness to consider any opinion not from his demographic makes him shockingly unfit for his job.

It's one thing to try and make a rational argument against video games and their impact, and certainly healthy to consider these opinions when in an academic context, but what Leland Yee is doing here is downright bigotry.

Seems Mr. Yee is upset that the bill he wrote not only got smacked down, but got smacked down by the highest court in the U.S. of A.

Mr Yee,

You need to calm down and shut up. You do not know anything about videogames. Therefore, you have no credibility in this argument. This is all about you trying to push a political agenda. The California game law you wrote is dead. It's time to stop beating this dead horse and move on.

- W

Consumer responsibility is just as important as Corporate responsibility. So, be responsible consumers.

Ultimate hypocrite Leland Yee. He thinks 14 to 17 year old high school teenagers need to be protected from violent video games, but young children are perfectly fine being exposed to toxic plastics in children's toys, as the guy voted against a law in the California legislature years back that would have banned them. Think of the children my ass Yee.

Hope the voters in San Francisco vote this douchebag out of office as soon as possible.

"No law means no law" - Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black on the First Amendment

I've only seen this guy come up in passing, probably mainly through articles on this site. I'm wondering if he feels the same about the people going around shouting, "Derrr trine ta tick wee ah gurrrns!" Should gun enthusiasts also have to just quiet down?

"Politicians have got to just quiet down. Politicians have no credibility in this making politics. This is all about their lust for control and notoriety. This is a cop-out. This is about pointing fingers."

In the 1970s, Leland Yee would have been decrying the evils of television. In the 1950s, comic books. In the 1900s, his demons would have been radio and the telephone. In the Middle Ages, he would have made a lucrative business out of prosecuting witches.

People like Mr. Yee always crop up in every generation. Fortunately, they always end up shamed and discredited.

"These violent video games... can contain up to 800 hours of footage with the most atrocious content often reserved for the highest levels and can be accessed only by advanced players after hours upon hours of progressive mastery."

Yes, because clearly, the people with no credibility are the gamers. The people who are threatening to rise up against the government and/or murder people if gun laws get stricter, on the other hand? THOSE you should listen to.